Hamas said on Saturday it was considering a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, a move that came amid efforts to break the deadlock in negotiations between the armed group and Israel.
The statement comes as speculation grows about an Israeli invasion of Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where more than a million people have been displaced. Humanitarian groups have warned that such an attack would have dire consequences for civilians.
In a statement, Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, said the group had received Israel’s response to the proposal it made to Egyptian and Qatari mediators two weeks ago. Mr. al-Hayya did not provide any details contained in the Israeli proposal, but he said Hamas would respond after the group finished studying it.
On Friday, a delegation of Egyptian officials visited Israel in an effort to advance negotiations between Israel and Hamas, according to an Israeli official familiar with the visit, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not allowed to contact the media.
In recent weeks, negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire and releasing hostages held in Gaza have stalled amid disputes over Israel’s withdrawal and the timing of a pause in fighting. Hamas has demanded a permanent ceasefire, while Israel has expressed openness to a pause.
Another key point is whether Israel will allow displaced Palestinians to return to the north. Hamas officials said Palestinians could return in large numbers, while Israeli officials said Israel wants to place limits on who can return, where and how.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the standoff has caused Palestinians in Gaza to continue to suffer from Israel’s crushing bombing campaign, which has caused devastation across the territory and left more than 34,000 people dead. The ministry’s figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
It also prevents Israeli hostages from reuniting with their families, many of whom have become increasingly critical of the Israeli government’s failure to ensure the freedom of their loved ones.
Calls for a negotiated ceasefire have become urgent as Israel has signaled that it may launch an invasion of Rafah. Earlier this week, an Israeli military official said that if Israel begins invading Rafah, an Israeli-designated “humanitarian zone” along the coast would be expanded to accommodate more civilians. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
The comments are among the first signs of the Israeli military’s plans for civilians should it launch a major ground offensive in the region.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is expected to travel to Israel next week, a trip that comes as the United States calls on Israel not to launch a major military operation in Rafah.
Israeli officials have repeatedly said that entering Rafah is necessary to counter Hamas battalions there, but Israel’s allies have expressed deep concern about what an invasion would mean for Israel. people crowded into the city, many of them living in makeshift tents in large camps. .
